10 ways to get more greens

As a Health and Nutrition Coach I focus my advice on getting more of the good stuff in - rather than taking things away and if there is any one food that we should be crowding into our diet it‘s green veggies!

When we strive to get more greens into our diet we are naturally crowding out the foods that might be making you feel awful. The more greens we consume, the more we strengthen our immune system and support overall health.

Leafy greens are alkaline and mineral rich. They are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are also loaded with fibre, chlorophyll and many other micro nutrients and phytochemicals to help put more pep into our step.

There are so many different greens out there, and there is more benefit to enjoying a wide variety rather than having just spinach every day for the rest of the month.

If you‘re like I was however, finding ways to get your greens is easier said than done. To help make things easier, I‘ve put together a list of tips to help your day become maybe just a little bit greener.

Add to scrambles

I love eating eggs, nature‘s multi-vitamin, but why not give them a boost by adding some greens to your omelettes and scrambles. The taste is neutral but the benefits are far from. Simply add some olive oil or butter to the pan, add some chopped greens (spinach and silver beet are nice) and then pour over your eggs and scramble as usual.

Spirilize

If you haven‘t got a sprializer - you totally should! Kids love watching the curly courgette noodles come through the other end (ok I admit it, I love it too) and they make a great swap for your spaghetti bolognaise. When it comes to pasta, it‘s really the sauce that adds the flavour so why not swap out your noodles for spirilized courgette (or other vegetables) and enjoy a nutritional boost without compromising flavour.

Swap out your rice

Curry is delicious with a bed of greens. Again, it‘s the curry itself that packs a flavour punch and the rice is really just a way to add some bulk. So, why not serve your curry on a bed of sauteed greens? Still not convinced? How about chopping some greens up and simply adding to your curry instead. That way you still get your rice AND your greens.

Hide in stews

I don‘t like the thought of “hiding“ greens but adding them to stews and soups can be a great way to get some additional green goodness. Chop them up finely and tell the family it‘s fresh herbs - or better yet - add some fresh herbs as well!

Snack time

There are some pretty amazing green snacks out there these days. Kale chips can be purchased from just about any health-minded store and are also really easy to make. You can also make some amazing dips with avocado or even coconut yogurt and kimchi and use celery to scoop it up. The opportunities are endless.

Here are 7 tips for smart snackings...

Use as a wrap or burger bun

I know, it doesn‘t sound nearly as exciting but trust me, once you try it, the flavours are so much richer. Even popular restaurants and take-away places are offering bun-less options. Give it a try - you wont regret it!

Chop up finely and put into fritters

I tend to “hide“ greens into everything. If you‘re making a kumara fritter or any other type of veggies, why not finely chop some greens such as silver beet or spinach and add them to the mixture? You can saut√© first but if you chop them fine enough there really isn‘t any need (and that‘s just an extra step right?).

Prep in advance

Ah yes, “Sunday prep day“. No matter what day it is, if you have the time why not chop up some extra veggies so that you can simply grab and go on the run or when you‘re beginning to get a little bit ‘hangry‘? Or, if you‘re a super busy person, just chop some extras when you were going to need them anyways and tuck the extras away in the fridge.

Add them to smoothies

Smoothies are the ultimate place to get some greens. If you really want to go incognito blend into your favourite chocolate berry smoothie and no one will know. Spinach and silver beet have a fairly neutral tastes so are my top choices when it comes to covert smoothie action. Kale is fine too but has a much stronger flavour.

Another trick I enjoy is freezing chopped courgette for smoothies. They make the smoothie creamy and cold without changing the flavour. Teamed with a scoop of Vanilla Clean Lean Protein - no banana necessary.

Get some Good Green Vitality

Can‘t seem to make time for veggies? Or just need an extra boost - there‘s always Good Green Vitality. My green insurance policy in one convenient scoop. Because sometimes.... Well life is busy.

Have a look at this great recipe:

Good Green Gummies!

2 cups coconut milk

1 scoop Good Green Vitality

1 handful of spinach

1 banana

2 Tbsp powdered gelatin

Warm the coconut milk in a saucepan.

Place the warmed coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.

Pour into a baking paper lined square baking dish.

Place in the fridge to gel then cut into squares.

The information provided in this article is intended for educational purposes only and is general advice. It should not, nor is it intended to be, relied on as a substitute for individual medical advice or care. If the contents of this, or any other of the blogs in this series raises any concerns or questions regarding your health, please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner.